Ring of Fate
by Anne-Marie
Summary: Jareth is witness to a love between a god and a mortal, in an effort to help their love he dooms himself. Takes place before the movie, is prequel to UnicornLady's "Again." (J/S)


Author: Anne-Marie

Rating: G

Summary: A prequel to Unicorn Lady's "Again". The origins of Sarah's Ring, aka the one which caused so much chaos in "Again". Set in Norse mythology, Loki finds love and gives her a ring which the Fates have set in his path. His apprentice, a young Prince Jareth, and he work their way and magic on the mortal girl.

Disclaimer: Labyrinth and Jareth, belong to Henson et co., the gods and the fates are from well...mythology, some of their attributes I pulled from Gargoyles, Trixie and Raynor are all mine :)

Thanks: To Unicorn Lady, for letting me do this and finding the names for my characters, and to anyone who reads and responds to this (hint, hint)

Feedback: peachybean@hotmail.com Please! Please! 

~The Ring of Fate~

"Oh Father look! Travelers have come," the young woman shouted with glee. Her long braid swayed and bounced with her run to where the elderly man sat. Over the hill which was to the south of the small straw roofed house the father and daughter could see a road weary pair of travelers.

"Hail there strangers!" Raynor stood and shouted at the men.

The strangers were still far enough away that they could speak to each other with out Raynor or Trixie overhearing their words.

"Must we interact with these mortals Thor? They put a bad taste in my mouth and a scratch on my skin."

"Loki! You know very well that Odin sent us out for a reason, and that was too-"

"Yes, Yes, I know... get in touch with the mortals who sustain us, yadda, yadda..."

"They are important Loki, you need to realize this. If you had, we wouldn't have to go on a trip around the world." Thor paused "Again."

They were close enough now, that they had to stop their discussion.

"Hail to you as well stranger. I am Leif and this is Hr-"

"Lok--" Thor elbowed Loki in the ribs, the mortals weren't supposed to know their true identities, Odin had said it took away from the "experience."

"Leif and Hrolok." Thor inwardly groaned at the ridiculous name.

"Are you foreign Hrolok? I don't recall that name, ever."

"You might say that," Loki smirked.

"I am Raynor and this is my fair daughter, Trixie. Would you care to join us for the midday sup?"

"That is most kind of you, sir. We would be delighted to."

The two immortals ended up staying the night, in the hayloft. Tossing and turning Loki was unable to sleep.

"How do you sleep like such a stone Thor? What with all of this hay prickling and sticking in our beards..." He got out and walked outside, hoping to clear his mind, he had been oddly troubled on this trip. So deep in his thoughts he didn't see the sitting figure on the hill he walked up. 

Leaning back against a dead tree, Trixie was looking up at the stars. Her dark hair loose and swirling in the steady wind that ravaged the hilltop.

"Hello, Hrolok." She smiled at the stars as he approached. Loki started at a voice.

"My dear girl, I didn't notice you. It is late, shouldn't you be slumbering?" Loki wished to be left alone. Trixie shrugged. 

"I like the stars. Do you suppose that Odin with his eye, sees the same stars that we do here?"

"How does what Odin see matter?"

"My mother is dead. I suppose you figured that out already. She would always come and look at the stars, and she always asked me the same question every night. 'The stars are forever, and so are the gods, until the Final battle. Do you suppose that they like them so much as we who last but a blink in their life?' I never understood it. Father tells me not to worry about such things. I know it is because I am so simple, he loved my mother because she was so clever."

"Certainly that does not mean he does not love you." Loki wished this girl would stop prattling.

"Oh no! Father loves me. I know that, but...I wish I knew what she meant."

Loki thought on it.

"Perhaps she meant that even though she is gone, that which she loved is still here."

Trixie's head whipped around to face him; the moonlight cast shadows on her features. Her eyes huge and innocent seemed to expose his soul, he blinked, but was unable to turn away, the discomfort in creased.

"I had never thought of that; you are very clever Hrolok. I suppose you have many fathers wishing to marry their daughters to you?"

Loki coughed back a laugh, 'me the renegade frost giant? Hardly'. Instead he smiled and answered her question, not wishing to offend her.

"I am afraid you are mistaken. Whatever charm my cleverness may hold is outweighed by the wretchedness of the shell which holds it," he waved to his face. A black beard covered his cheeks and dark hair hung in scraggly curls, having not been washed since his trip with Thor had began. Underneath thick black eyebrows were piercing blue eyes, large and heavily lashed. On his large frame he wore many furs to keep out the chill, making his stature appear bulking. Trixie took it all in and smiled at him shyly.

"Don't think me too bold sir, but I find your appearance just as pleasing as your cleverness. You look as if you could protect the ones you loved without effort."

How did such a simple and innocent mortal continuously throw him off guard, Loki pondered. This girl was worth more time than initially suspected.

Faraway in nearly unknown lands three sisters danced around a loom.

"It has begun, everything is being set in motion." They all said in unison, the sister with silver-white hair, stepped forward and pulled a simple ring from the air, and tossed it into a clear pool that was near the loom. "And now it can continue in motion, like a circle with seemingly no end."

Nearly a month had passed and the visitors had yet to leave Raynor's hospitality.

"Come Loki, we must go back, we have duties to attend."

"Thor-"

Thor held up a hand in protestation.

"Loki, you made a promise to train the boy. Besides this," he waved around them to where Trixie and Raynor were standing, "it never works."

Loki dropped his head in reluctant agreement. Together they walked to where their hosts were standing.

"I am afraid Raynor, dear friend, that we must depart on the morrow."

"Leif, is their no way of convincing you of staying."

"I am sure there is," Thor laughed heartily, eyeing Loki and Trixie, "However, we have commitments which we cannot lapse in."

"I understand, you must not tarnish your honor. Let us enjoy our remaining time together then, and feast, Trixie prepare the meal."

"No, no, Raynor." Loki finally spoke up, "Let my friend and I prepare the meal, we have been leeching off of your long enough, let us repay you and your wonderful daughter," Loki avoided looking at her as he said this, "I assure you no meal you have ever had will be like the one we will serve."

And so it was, the foursome ate the meal Loki and Thor had prepared. Raynor and Trixie both were astonished at the magnitude and grandeur of the meal the two, seemingly simple men had prepared. As the sun set all made as if to go to bed, but sleep was not to be had that night for some. Silently Trixie and Loki crept up the hill on which the dead tree stood. The stars were at their brightest. Trixie ran to her beloved's embrace, his fingers entwining themselves in her dark hair as it swirled around him, the wind embracing their love.

"Must you leave?"

"I am afraid so." He placed a kiss atop her head as he brushed away a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

"Will you come back?"

"I will try, even if Odin himself wishes to prevent it, I will." He said this meaning it, never before had he felt such happiness and completeness as he did when this small mortal was in his arms.

"I wish to give you something Trixie. I found it in the stream beyond the dale; fate meant you to have it I think. But I wish you to wear it and think of me. It is my promise to you, I will love and protect you always." He pulled the simple ring from his pocket and took her hand from his neck and placed the ring upon her finger. It seemed made for her. She looked lovingly down at it and turned her open gaze to his eyes, her heart shining out to meet his. The lovers spent the night under the stars, neither wishing it to end, each hoping it wouldn't.

In the morning the two travelers set off for an unknown destination, as soon as they were out of sight, they flashed into their separate dwellings. Loki still had an apprentice to train, just after he had bathed. 

Clean, with his hair swept out of his eyes into a long braid and a simple tunic and pants, with large leather boot as opposed to the traveler's clothes he had been wearing. Loki stretched as he walked into his main hall, where his new apprentice was awaiting. 

"I see you have your mother's hair young prince." If the prince was startled he didn't show it. His mismatched eyes followed the frost giant as he paced the room. Stopping at a large basket of peaches that were in one corner. He raised an eyebrow.

"A gift from my father, sir. We have found the peach to be most useful in enchantments, almost as powerful as the apple, sir."

"As the apple? Really?"

"Yes sir."

"And your parents, prince, how are they?"

"Well sir, they are most grateful to you for accepting me, as am I." The prince bowed.

"None of that now. Your peaches have me thinking however, I think our first lesson shall be to try something new with those."

"Sir?"

"The apple as you know, is too powerful to give to a mortal, one bite and they are in an eternal slumber. However if we were to use the same enchantment on a peach, if it is as you say, slightly less powerful, then perhaps they could, stomach it. Perhaps I might be able to be with my beloved-"

The youth cocked his head in puzzlement, he had wished to be apprenticed to Loki because he was the most clever, and that was a trait he highly prized. Yet right now the frost giant was making no sense.

"It is a long story, fortunately we both have a great deal of time. Come boy, I have a burden I wish to share with you." And so the young prince was made acquainted with Loki and his love for a simple mortal girl.

"I shall do my best to help you sir."

"Thank you Jareth."

It took the pair an entire rotation of the earth in its orbit around the sun to perfect the spell. 

"All is ready Jareth, go and fetch a peach now." the prince disappeared, "make it a ripe one." Loki was so preoccupied with thoughts of being forever reunited with his beloved he didn't notice his apprentice had already left and was unable to obey the last instruction, except perhaps by fate. But fate, and the three sisters that share its name had another plan in mind.

"I think you will do nicely," Jareth examined the peach in his hand, it was pure peach in color, with a hint of red at one end a dappling of green on the other.

"Here master," he reappeared in the room where Loki waited.

"Excellent," Loki took the peach from Jareth's outstretched hand and immersed it in the potion they had devised. Fizzing he pulled the peach out and set it aside to dry.

"Now to get my beloved." The two shifted their bodies to the hill by the small house. The wind whipped their hair, "First something more appropriate to wear," Loki waved his hands and both were in the heavy firs that travelers favored. Jareth's wild hair was weighed down with grime, giving him a rather pathetic look; he frowned to feel his head so heavy, but said nothing. Loki practically danced up to the heavy wooden door of the dwelling. He knocked three times, waiting for it to open. Trixie opened it, her small frame looked tired and sad, she slowly looked up to see who stood at the door, and flung her self into his arms without further thought or hesitation. Jareth took a step back in surprise, he had never seen his master so animated, his movements were usually cold and calculated. Truly, love was a powerful thing.

"Hrolok! I am so glad you came, I knew you would. Perhaps you can help, father is ill. And you stranger, you know healing?"

"A little..." Jareth answered.

"Beloved, this is my ward, Jareth."

"He is very like you Hrolok, I can see he is clever too. Together you will both help my father." She led them into the dimly lit house, on his previous visit Loki had spent little time in the house, he found it very confining and too much of a contrast to his own dwelling. Made him think too much about the differences between immortals and man, thoughts he had wished to avoid in his bliss. He was led to a bed, where the skeletal form of his friend lay.

"I see, Hrolok, you have come back, as you promised my fair one. It is good, she will need you. Promise me you will take care of her."

"I promise, Raynor." Loki grasped his friend's weak hand in his own large one.

"Don't speak that way Father, they will make you better, don't leave me." Trixie sobbed.

"I will never leave you my dear, just as your mother never has, we will always be with you. Perhaps you are right though, perhaps these gentlemen can help me." Jareth and Loki both saw that the old man was beyond their power, his place in the realm was slowly fading. "Now give your father a kiss and prepare dinner for these weary travelers."

"Yes father."

"Allow me to help." Jareth offered, sensing that Raynor and Loki still had words to exchange.

"As you please," Trixie agreed weakly.

The three ate their simple fare with Raynor sipping some broth that Jareth had prepared for him. Raynor's breath slowed into slumber as Jareth was clearing the table.

"I can watch him, you two go, I see there is much you wish to say to one another."

"Thank you Jareth." Loki said as Trixie leaned in and kissed the young prince's cheek. Hand in hand the lovers left for their own spot.

"Old man, you have lived a good life, and your daughter shall be well taken care of, don't hold onto this realm for her. No other is so capable of ensuring her welfare as my master." Jareth spoke quietly to the old man as he observed his peaceful slumber, as if Raynor had heard him, his mouth curved up in a smile, his white beard framing his lips, a testament to his good life.

Out on the hill, by the dead tree, Loki and Trixie were lost in each other's embrace. 

"My love, I have asked your father, and he is agreed, as soon as he is well, we shall marry."

"I knew it was to be, your ring has lent me your strength Beloved."

"I thought of you everyday."

"And I you."

"I know my love, the stars told me."

"Yes, I whispered my love for you to them."

"They proved to be a good messenger then." Loki smiled down at his beloved, he had never felt so warm before.

They stayed this way for several hours, and as the sky streaked they crept back to the house, and slept. Jareth's vigilance however was never ending and as the sun finally crested above the hill, Raynor's last foothold on the realm of the living slipped and Jareth waved a hand over him, preparing him for his final journey.

Trixie awoke the sun streaming down on her. She felt better than she had since Hrolok had left. Stretching she wandered to the fire and poked it back to life, Jareth was no where around. 'He must have been tired from their journey,' she mused to herself.

"Oh Father!" She shook her father's shoulder slightly, his head lolled to the side, lifelessly. Tears welled up, "no-"

"What is it beloved?" Loki stretched on the floor where he had slept, he saw what Trixie saw and was up to her side in a flash, embracing her as her tears wet his jacket.

And so ended on chapter of the mortal girl's life. Loki was there as her father was sent on his final journey he then helped her pack her small belongings for the trip to his home. 'It will finally be a home,' he thought.

Jareth had done his best to make this time easier for both lovers. Both however, were both too caught up in the happenings to really notice, he did not care however. He only wished to serve and learn from his master to the best of his ability, and he liked the girl. While simple, he found her endearing. 

"Are we ready master?"

"Yes, Jareth. Come beloved, let me take you to a home that you can fill with love, I have been empty without you." Trixie leaned heavily on Loki's arm, her hair was braided back and her face was almost obscured by the fur cloak she had pulled tightly around her.

The walked to Loki's dwelling, he did not wish to frighten her with who he really was, he wished first to make them equals. As they walked the journey he daydreamed of what life with her would be like, a pleasure he had previously denied himself; always afraid it was beyond his grasp. Now it was so close he could taste it, 'and she will too,' he mused.

"Surely this is not yours Beloved?" Trixie's large eyes were opened to their fullest as she took in the massive stone structure before her.

"There is more, but it shall wait, first we shall clean up from our journey. Jareth, take her to he rooms." 

"Yes sir." Jareth relieved Loki of his burden as he took Trixie's other arm and led her towards the door of the castle. Her light weight hardly making an impression on his arm.

"I am certain you will be happy with him."

"I know I will be."

Jareth smiled at her blind optimism. They walked down stone corridor and past several grand rooms, until they came to the end of the hall.

"Here are you chambers M'lady"

"Jareth, why are you so formal?"

"One of the many things my master will have to tell you. I will leave you to the maids, so you might become more suitably attired."

Trixie looked upset at this, and grasped his arm tighter. "Please, don't leave me."

"But it is not appropriate-"

"Please, I trust you, and so does Hrolok. Don't leave me with someone I don't know. I am scared Jareth, there is much I don't know. I know that everything is about to change. Don't leave me."

"Very well, M'lady. But please leave me my modesty, I shall not be in the bath chamber with you, I shall stay in the main room, we can shout to each other if we must speak." Jareth smiled down at her and walked her into her new home.

Several hours later they were seated at a feast hall. Loki entered, looking finer than Trixie had ever seen him.

"I thought I had best dress finely for my own wedding feast," he exclaimed at her.

"Really? So soon?"

"Why wait?"

"Oh!" She threw herself into his arms and his bearded check lovingly. Jareth averted his eyes, wishing either he or they were elsewhere. When they continued their embrace he cleared his throat and Trixie slowly resumed her seat with a broad smile on her face, her eyes dancing. Loki beamed at his beloved. The meal was better than anything Trixie had ever tasted, yet she was unable to tell this, so caught up in the excitement of it all, the tastes just flew past her. Loki rose from the table, and pulled out Trixie's chair.

"Goodnight Jareth, we shall retire for our dessert."

"Very well sir," Jareth smirked to himself, knowing what dessert entailed. His father would be most pleased to hear of the spell that they had concocted for the peach.

"Dessert? What do you mean Hrolok?"

"You shall see my beloved. Come with me and trust me, it is a surprise." Trixie leaned trustingly into his arm as they walked to their marriage chamber.

A large bed greeted them; Trixie shyly averted her gaze to examine the floor.

"Don't worry beloved, I shall not hurt you. But first, I wish to give you something." He plucked the peach off of a nearby table. "It is a fruit, like an apple, that come from the lands which Jareth is from. It is a wedding gift." Slowly she lifter her eyes and stared at the peach, taking it in her grasp she lifted it to her mouth and took a bite.

"It is wonderful my love-" she took another bite.

"Yes it is," Loki patiently waited for the magic to work its will. If he had bedded her before they were equals it would have ravaged her already weak frame, this way she could greet him in bed and life, as an equal. Her mortal body would become immortal. Her sweet mouth was taking another bite out of the peach when the light shifted, his grin broadened. Her figure was suspended in mid-air, slowly twirling her skirt hem inches above the ground, where a mist was forming. A frown creased his pale facade, 'An unexpected occurrence,' he thought silently. He felt a slight tap as the peach, which had fallen from her dazed grasp rolled to the toe of his boot. A bright flash, so intense he was forced to close his immortal eyes momentarily. When he could again see, she was gone.

In her place there was a small figure, her figure, trapped and twirling within a golden cage. Her placid face hid what had really been on her mind. Her beloved had let her down, in an effort to make him like herself. He had failed; she was now forever trapped between worlds. Living only so long as her tune was playing, doomed to forever spin in circles.

Loki ran forward, her ring, which he had given her, was next to the dancer. He picked up both and walked out of the chamber, sealing the doors behind him. 

"Jareth!" he bellowed.

The young man ran to his master. Loki thrust the dancer at Jareth.

"Take this away from me. I never want to see it again."

"Never?" Loki stared.

"Yes, Sir." In a flash the young servant was before the all-knowing lord of the immortal gods.

"What can I do for you Jareth?" Odin's low voice questioned.

"Lordship--Loki has asked me to rid him of this," Jareth showed Odin the dancer, "What should I do?"

"Here son, give it to me." Odin's large hand grasped the delicate item. A large portal opened next to his throne and he tossed the dancer in it.

"Sir?"

"Time will right all wrongs, never doubt that Jareth."

With that the young man was back in the presence of Loki.

"Have you done as I asked?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good then my young prince, let us continue with your lessons. Oh, and Jareth, I do not wish to ever hear her name again."

"Nevermore..."

The earth had finished another track around the sun. And with each passing day Loki had grown more and more cold and hard. He was unable to find what had gone wrong with the spell. 

"Master I think I have it."

Loki looked at him puzzled, "What Jareth?"

"My people, it is a lost art, but I think I might be able to reclaim it, we can spill crystals, and in them you can see whatever you wish."

"Then get to it." 

Biting his bottom lip in concentration the young prince closed his eyes and held his right hand out, slowly an orb materialized. Loki rushed to his side, so that he might see what the crystal held.

"Show me what went wrong." Jareth's eyes had yet to open, so intense was the magic he was controlling.

Slowly the mists within the crystal cleared and Loki saw. He saw his apprentice taking a not nearly ripe peach, his spell should have worked, but for this. Suddenly the crystal shattered in Jareth's hands, glass shards embedding themselves in his palm.

'I will wear gloves next time,' he muttered to himself, "Did you see, what happened?" Jareth was eager to know if it had worked.

"I saw nothing," Loki answered coldly. Jareth's face fell, he had been so hopeful, if they knew what went wrong, they might be able to fix it. "Go and fix your hand Jareth, I have business to attend, don't expect me back today."

Back in his traveling clothes Loki walked to the edge of what had been Raynor's property; he passed under the dead tree and stopped. He grasped the small ring in his hand and raised his fist up at the sky.

"Curse you Jareth! Curse you! May you suffer what I have!" Thunder rumbled above in aggreance, the fates spun on.

He walked to the edge of what had been Raynor's property, a cliff that overlooked turbulent water. He turned it in his hand again; looking at the simple work of its metal, of the equally plain stone that was set in its center. Such a small thing, so insignificant, deceivingly so. But that is the way of the gods and their gifts. 

"I should have known better," he swore softly to himself, clenching his fist around the small trinket. The harsh winter wind whipped his hair out of his eyes; making tears run down his face. He looked over the cliff he had found himself drawn to, the cold white waves crashing in a caccaphonous symphony below, illustrating perfectly the chaos he felt within. 

Falling to his knees sobbing he lets his own cries blend with that of the wind. Slowly, his tears stopped allowing him to compose himself better. He pushed himself off the hard ground, cutting his hands on the glasslike rocks that composed the cliff. Standing like a marble statue he lifted his arm, pressing his hand to his lips. With that one final kiss he flung the ring out into the watery depths.

"Farewell, beloved," he turned and with a final glance over his shoulder he walked away, the cold gray mists of Bifrost closing behind him.


End file.
